Abstract: A bar code is scanned to generate a signal which is representative of the bar code and contains a series of maxima and minima. The signal is sampled to detect the maxima and minima corresponding to the encoded information of the bar code. The detected maxima are compared with an upper threshold value while the detected minima are compared with a lower threshold value. For each detected maximum and minimum, a "0" or "1" is entered in a memory depending upon whether or not the detected maximum or minimum exceeds the corresponding threshold value. This produces an array of bits which is then decoded.

Abstract: Dye-receiving element for thermal dye sublimation transfer comprising a support having on one side a dye-receiving layer and, optionally on the other side a backcoat layer, the support carrying on at least one side a subbing layer comprising a copolyester formed by polycondensation of at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid and at least one aliphatic diol, wherein the copolyester further comprises at least one comohomer having at least one sulfonate group in the acid form, alkalimetal salt form, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Dye-image receiving element for use according to thermal dye sublimation transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye-image receiving layer containing a (co)polyester comprising condensation residues of one or more diols and one or more dicarboxylic acids and further comprising condensation residues of one or more hydroxy-carboxylic acids containing a long chain alkyl or alkylene group having at least 8 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Dye-donor element for use according to thermal dye transfer methods comprising a support having on one side thereof a dye/binder layer comprising a dye, a binder comprising a copolymer comprising styrene units and acrylonitrile units, and uniformly distributed solid particles, wherein said copolymer comprises at least 15% by weight of acrylonitrile units and said solid particles are selected from the group consisting of solid waxes, calcium carbonate, and polydimethylsilylsesquioxan.

Abstract: A color photographic recording material containing, on a layer support, at least one blue sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and a yellow coupler associated therewith, at least one green sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and a magenta coupler associated therewith and at least one red sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and a cyan coupler associated therewith also contains, in a layer which is not sensitive to light, a compound corresponding to formula I (stabilizer) ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 denotes H or a group which can be split off under alkaline development conditions;R.sup.2 denotes H, halogen, OH, an alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkoxy having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, COOR.sup.3, CONR.sup.4 R.sup.5, SO.sub.2 NR.sup.4 R.sup.5, NH--COR.sup.3, NH--SO.sub.2 --R.sup.3 or NH--CO--NHR.sup.4 ;R.sup.3 denotes an alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms,R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 denote H or a group such as R.sup.

Abstract: Antistatically treated plastic moldings which contain two layers on the surface to be antistatically treated, the layer situated nearer the plastic surface being an antistatic layer and the more remote layer being a protective layer of a radiation-curing coating composition which is cured by exposure to ionizing radiation, are distinguished by excellent antistatic properties and very good surface properties.

Abstract: Dye-donor element for use according to thermal dye sublimation transfer comprising a support having on one side a dye layer and on the other side a heat-resistant layer, characterized in that said heat-resistant layer comprises a polyether containing at least 10 mol % recurring units corresponding to the following formula (I)O--E--O--E'-- (I)wherein--O--E--O-- represents a divalent diphenolate radical corresponding to the following general formula (II) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 (same or different) represent hydrogen, halogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl group, a C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl group, a C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl group or a C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl group; andX represents the necessary atoms to close a 5- to 8-membered cycloaliphatic ring which may be substituted with one or more C.sub.1 -C.sub.

Abstract: Antistatically treated plastic formed articles, e.g. photographic film supports, that contain at least two layers on the surface to be antistatically treated, wherein a layer nearer to the plastic surface contains a preparation of a polythiophene that is built up from structural units of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently of each other stand for hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl group or together form an optionally substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylene group, preferably a methylene group optionally substituted by alkyl groups, a 1,2-ethylene group optionally substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl or phenyl groups, a 1,3-propylene group or a 1,2-cyclohexylene group,and a polyanion, a farther layer contains a film-forming polymer and at least one of the two layers contains an alkoxysilane, are characterized, apart from excellent antistatic properties, by very good layer adhesion.

Abstract: An electrode for use in an electrolytic cell is disclosed, comprising a generally flat sheet (50) of flexible material having at least one electrically conductive surface. Upper and lower securing means are provided each comprising a tongue (55a,b) formed on one side edge (53) of the sheet (50) and a slot (56a,b) associated with an opposite side edge (54) of the sheet (50). The tongues and slots co-operate to enable the sheet (50) to be folded into and secured in an open frusto-conical configuration. This arrangement gives ease of removal from an electrolytic cell after use and advantages of requiring less storage and transport space in a flat configuration.

Abstract: A method of erasing energy stored in a photostimulable Eu.sup.2+ doped alkaline earth halide phosphor medium, wherein in said method after imagewise exposure of said medium to penetrating radiation and read out of stored energy by photostimulation with light in the wavelength range of 430 to 550 nm, said phosphor medium is exposed in a single erasure step with light mainly within the 370 to 530 nm range containing two distinct or separate emission bands, one of which is peaking at or near 400 nm and the other at or near 500 nm.

Abstract: Dye-donor element for use according to thermal dye sublimation transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer containing a dye corresponding to the following formula ##STR1## wherein Z represents CN, COOR.sup.1 or CONR.sup.2 R.sup.3 ;R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each independently represent hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 together represent the necessary atoms to close a heterocyclic nucleus;Y represents OR.sup.4 or NR.sup.5 R.sup.6 ;R.sup.4 represents hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, SO.sub.2 R.sup.7, COR.sup.7, CSR.sup.7, POR.sup.7 R.sup.8 ;R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each independently has one of the significances given to R.sup.4 or represent amino, or R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 together represent the necessary atoms to close a heterocyclic nucleus, including a heterocyclic nucleus with an aliphatic or aromatic ring fused-on;R.sup.7 and R.sup.

Abstract: A moist web of exposed and developed photographic film or photographic paper is continuously advanced through a drying unit wherein selected areas of the path for the web are monitored by devices which generate signals denoting the heat absorptivity of monitored portions of the web. Such signals are processed and utilized to regulate the intensity of heat which is emitted by batteries of heating elements at both sides of the path for the running web. This ensures that the less developed portions of the web are subjected to sufficient heating action and that the more developed portions of the web are not overheated. The monitoring can involve ascertaining the intensity of heat which has penetrated through successive portions of the running web and/or ascertaining the intensity of heat which is reflected by successive portions of the running web and issues from heating elements designed to emit heat of known intensity.

Abstract: A device for processing photographic materials comprising at least one liquid-filled tank and liquid from the liquid-filled tank is removed from the photographic material and lead back to the same tank. The tank comprises several pairs of rollers placed one above the other above the liquid level of the tank or downstream of the tank. The rollers of each pair of rollers are parallel to one another. At least one pair of rollers is provided with a liquid supply directed to the pair of rollers to provide a system for efficient cleaning of the photographic material. The rollers have an adjustable pressure device and a specific pressure range.

Abstract: Dye-donor element for use according to thermal dye sublimation transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer containing a thiazolylazoaniline dye, said thiazolylazoaniline dye containing on the 4-position of the thiazolyl ring a substituent selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aryloxy, mercapto, thioalkyl, thiocycloalkyl and thioaryl.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat mode recording material comprising on the same side of a non-conductive support a conductive recording layer and an elastomeric image forming layer being non-conductive characterised in that a peelable polymeric film is provided as an outermost layer on the side of said support containing said elastomeric image forming layer.

Abstract: A photostimulable storage phosphor within the scope of following formula (I):M.sub.3 (PO.sub.4).sub.2 :xEu.sup.2+, yT.sup.3+, zZr.sup.4+wherein: M is at least one of the alkaline earth metals selected from the group consisting of Ca, Sr and Ba, x corresponds with an atom fraction value 5.times.10.sup.-5 .ltoreq..times..ltoreq.10.sup.-1, y corresponds with an atom fraction value 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.10.sup.-1, T.sup.3+ is at least one member selected from the group consisting of La.sup.3+, Lu.sup.3+, y.sup.3+ and Gd.sup.3+, z corresponds with an atom fraction value 0.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.10.sup.-1, and 5.times.10.sup.-5 .ltoreq.z+y.ltoreq.10.sup.-1.

Abstract: A recording material comprising a sheet, ribbon or web support and a hydrophilic colloid binder layer incorporating an ionic copolymer in the form of dispersed particulate material providing to said material an antistatic character, characterized in that said ionic copolymer is a cross-linked addition copolymer wherein at least 30 mole % of its recurring units are recurrring units containing a sulphonic acid salt group that has been obtained via a reaction of propane sultone or butane sultone with carboxylate salt groups present originally in recurring units of said copolymer.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of a photographic material with a bath containing at least one processing chemical, in which, after the treatment bath, the photographic material is guided upwards through a sloping compartment which closely surrounds the photographic material and is washed from above with water which, under the effect of gravity, flows in countercurrent to the photographic material, leads to a surprisingly marked reduction in the chemical load of the material.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a photographic material comprising on a support a photosensitive layer containing a mixture of silver halide emulsions at least one of which is spectrally sensitized and at least one of which is not spectrally sensitized characterized in that the surface of the silver halide particles of the silver halide emulsion not being spectrally sensitized is loaded with a stabilizer having a mercapto group or the tautomeric thione group thereof such that the surface covered by one molecule of stabilizer is between 10 .ANG..sup.2 and 70 .ANG..sup.2. The loss of speed due to migration of the spectral sensitizer from the sensitized emulsion to the non sensitized emulsion is reduced and can even be inhibited.

Abstract: A cassette for storage of a roll of convoluted web of photosensitive material which is to be fed to the copying station of a copying machine has a device for unwinding the web from the roll, rollers which advance selected lengths of the web into the copying station, and a mechanism which loosens or relaxes the web between the roll and the rollers so that the rollers need not overcome the inertia of the roll in order to advance selected lengths of the web from the housing of the cassette into the copying station. This can be achieved by driving the unwinding device and the rollers at different speeds so that the web forms a loop in the housing of the cassette between the outermost convolution of the roll and an outlet of the housing or by otherwise loosening the web between the roll and the outlet.